Nazi salute

The Nazi salute or Hitler salute is a gesture that was used as a greeting in Nazi Germany. The salute is performed by extending the right arm from the chest in the air with a straightened hand. Usually, the person offering the salute would say "Heil Hitler!" (Hail Hitler!), "Heil, mein Führer!" (Hail, my leader!), or "Sieg Heil!" (Hail victory!).

Hitler Youth in Berlin performing the Nazi salute at a rally in 1933

Modern age

Use of this salute is currently a criminal offense in many countries such as: Germany, Italy, Japan, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria and Uzbekistan.^[1] In Switzerland, France, Canada, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Israel, the salute is illegal hate speech if used for promoting Nazi ideology.^[2][3]

It was adopted in the 1930s by the Nazi Party to show obedience to the party's leader, Adolf Hitler. It also gave honour to the German nation (and later the German war effort). The salute was required for all civilians.^[4] It was mostly optional for military personnel who retained the traditional salute until shortly after the failed assassination attempt on Hitler on July 20, 1944.^[5]